Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Smart Bacon Sandwich

Shmoo picked and packed his own lunch again today. My little boy is growing up! He even went with me to the store and hand-picked the Brussels sprouts, so today this was all him.

First, he fried some Smart Bacon and made a BL without the T (he still doesn't care much for fresh tomatoes, but lettuce is now okay). We packed it in a Lunch Skin from 3greenmoms. These washable bags are made to take the place of disposable bags in the lunch box. Shmoo complained that the pattern was "too girly", but it's the only one they sell right now.

Next, I helped him cook some Brussels sprouts and pack them in a little Gel-Cool Bento Box. (Brussels sprouts are still his favorite vegetable.)

Finally, although he thought that was enough, I insisted on some fresh fruit, so he added two darlin' clementines for dessert.

Here's the Lunch Skin folded up and ready to go. Look, it even has a place to write your name -- handy when you have a kind who tends to misplace things at school.

Verdict: He ate it all up and (what a relief!) remembered to bring the bag home. The bag was easy to turn inside-out and wash; now it's hanging on my plastic bag drier, waiting to be used again. 4 stars.

What is this plastic bag drier you speak of? I feel like it's something I should own. Did you buy it or make it? :-) I'm thinking I could make something that would do the trick, but if it's an actual product that someone sells, I'm curious to see the design.

Awww does he make his own lunch when he goes to the group of homeschool kids to meet up every week? It's really adorable... I remember when he would dip his brussels in the lunch box fondue, I even like doing that! What type of material are the lunch skins and do you think they'll last long? Thanks! =)

I don't know what I would give to like Brussel sprouts. I can't find a way to eat them. However, I'll eat anything else green. As a matter of fact, my son ate asparagus for breakfast this morning. He had to have them.

I just wanted to say congrats on being a great mom. By setting such a wonderful example for you son, he's able to pick a healthy and diverse lunch all on his own. I remember when I reached this point as a kid, and I still remind my dad of the wonderful lunches he used to pack and how healthy they were (I still love celery filled with peanut butter. And I still lick out the the pb first, and then eat the celery!)

Anyway, I'm still a couple of years away from have kids of my own, but it's really nice and inspirational to see your success!

Also a first time commenter- for brussel sprouts: what I do is slice them in half, drizzle them with good olive oil, sprinkle with a little sea salt and fresh ground pepper, and roast them in the oven until the edges just barely get crispy (some may prefer them not crispy). We then eat them as snacks or main dishes... but hey, can't complain about living in a house where the biggest morning complaint is often, "Honey, where did those dang brussel sprouts go? did you eat them in the middle of the night AGAIN!?"

>>What type of material are the lunch skins and do you think they'll last long?

The website says they are "made from a cotton fabric that is coated with a food-safe, moisture-proof liner. This unique high-quality fabric is manufactured in Germany by a family-owned business and has been used for many years in bakeries and restaurants."

I like that the fabric is made in Germany, not China. And yes, I think they seem very durable. Only time will tell...

also, I think I've been reading your blog since just about the very beginning... and it's so cool to see that Shmoo is turning into such a big kid - making his own lunch, and picking such healthy options (especially that last post... but this ones not so bad either!). It's great to see that kids really can have healthy and adventurous eating habits.

(long time reader, etc) On the brussels sprouts note, in some larger supermarkets (I live in the midwest) you can get dill-pickle brussels sprouts which are delish. They're like regular dill pickles, of course, just extra crunchy. They're in the aisle right next to pickles and pickled cauliflower and all that.

Hey those smart bacon sandwich look yummi, I love eating breakfast and always try new breakfast food recipes. it's a really cool idea for a sandwich bag! i think i will be do it for my kids breakfast. thank you for shearing your post.